For Delhi Dynamos FC, it has been a case of missed opportunities over the two seasons of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). In the inaugural season, they made their intentions clear with the most high-profile marquee signing of Alessandro Del Piero, along with a host of Indian and foreign talent. But they still missed out on the semis by a single point. The second edition of the league in 2015 saw the arrival of another World Cup winner, Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos as coach and marquee player. Just when it seemed it would be the Dynamos all the way, after a hard-fought win in the first leg of the semis, their world came crashing down with a drubbing in Goa. The team which had shown so much potential eventually flattered to deceive.This year too Delhi have stayed true to tradition and brought on board World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta as their head coach. A revamped squad with a lot of ISL debutants in the fray, the team had a fruitful pre-season European tour, including a game against Premier League outfit West Bromwich Albion to enhance their preparations in the build-up to the league.Strengths: Trust an Italian to bring stability to a team. With Zambrotta at the helm, discipline at the back as well as possession in the midfield should be taken care of. In Toni Doblas, they have one of the best custodians in the ISL. Ruben Gonzalez Rocha and Anas Edathodika, a top performer in the department last season, would likely be the ones to lead the defence. A functional and disciplined midfield would be key to their chances and thus having re-signed Florent Malouda and Souvik Chakraborty, they are on the right track. Not to mention, the notable addition of former Chennaiyin FC star Bruno Pelissari. A successful pre-season tour has also helped the players to know each other.Weaknesses: Out of a 25-member squad, 14 of them are ISL debutants. Their lack of knowledge of playing in the league or in India in general may prove to be a faltering zone for the team as there is a lot of difference in pre-season friendlies and the actual league. And the relative ‘inexperience’ of some of the players might be a cause for worry. The forward line looks thin compared to the midfield, with Badara Badji having just one season of professional football under his belt. Too much rides on the shoulders of Richard Gadze and the young Arjun Tudu in their search for goals. Over-reliance on Malouda may also hamper the team.Players to watch out for: Apart from marquee player Malouda, who provided eight assists last season, and Pelissari in the midfield, Rocha, who has won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, will steal some eyes with his defensive capabilities. Anas and Doblas were both solid at the back last year and are expected to continue in the same vein. The young Tudu and Milan Singh are exciting prospects and there is no doubt they will attract plenty of attention from fans.New Signings: Soram Poirei, Ruben Gonzalez Rocha, David Addy, Ibrahima Niasse, Chinglesana Konsham Singh, Lalchhawnkima, Lalruatthara, Bruno Augusto Pelissari de Lima, Marcos Tebar, Marcelo Leite Pereira, Emerson Gomes de Moura, Denson Devadas, Kean Lewis, Milan Singh, Malsawmzuala, Rupert Nongrum, Amoes Do, Badara Badji, Arjun TuduSquad:Coach: Gianluca ZambrottaGoalkeepers: Antonio Doblas Santana, Sanjiban Ghosh, Soram PoireiDefenders: Ruben Gonzalez Rocha, David Addy, Ibrahima Niasse, Anas Edathodika, Chinglesana Konsham Singh, Lalchhawnkima, Lalruatthara, Rupert Nongrum, Souvik ChakrabortyMidfielders: Florent Malouda, Bruno Augusto Pelissari de Lima, Marcos Tebar, Emerson Gomes de Moura, Denson Devadas, Milan Singh, Malsawmzuala, ,Forwards: Richard Gadze, Badara Badji, Arjun Tudu, Marcelo Leite Pereira, Kean Lewis, Amoes DoPrediction: Zambrotta has quite a task on his hands but if things move favourably like the pre-season, then another Italian job like Marco Materazzi with Chennaiyin FC in 2015, is very much on the cards.
